Trainer Tom Foley rolled back the years with Killena Boy in the Kilkenny Handicap at Gowran today, producing the 11 year old gelding in fine fettle to win his first race in just short of six years.

Ridden by Seamie Heffernan, the son of Imperial Ballet battled gamely for a three parts of a length win over Quill And Vellum denying connections (Bolger/Manning) of the runner-up a treble on the day.

The winner had been off the track for three and a half years before making his debut for Foley in 2012 and was today recording his sixth career win and his first since winning for William Jarvis in May 2007.

Foley later mentioned “he is a little horse who has always been hard to get right. Only for Sharon (his daughter) we w have given up on him a long time ago , she persisted with him."

“From the word go, we wanted Seamie to ride him as he told us a lot about him when he rode him twice in the past. It came right today and we'll keep him on the go now.”

Quotes from Donal Murphy